The Winter Issue
Thoughts from the Editor W
e had been looking forward to this weekend with our friends for months. After weeks of
planning and much preparation, we all arrived at the cabin to ring in the new year. Our group of really close friends has shared an incalculable amount of life together. Vacations, parents, the highs and lows of life. Life had taken us all to new adventures in different states and cities. Now, with the last of us recently deciding to move out of state, even more change was coming. There we were, a bunch of longtime friends who had seen each other through diapers and distance, reuniting for what was supposed to be the ultimate New Year's bash. Our kids, now less about tantrums and more about Taylor Swift, were as excited as we were. The first night was a late night of laughs, games, and "Remember when?” Day two involved snow hikes, hot tubs, sledding, and snowmen. But by the time the evening activities were in full swing, the first signs of trouble appeared. Our friend’s incessant coughing and reassurance that she had stayed away from anyone with a virus was the first indication that we should be concerned. By the next morning—New Year’s Eve—it was like dominoes. One by one, sniffles and coughs joined the party. Someone joked about Covid, and we laughed it off, collectively willing ourselves and our friends to feel better. As symptoms grew, a few of us
Positive. Our chef of the hour, busy dishing out her amazing chili, was our unwitting Patient Zero. The mood dropped far faster than the ball in Times Square. Faced with our festive getaway turning into a Covid quarantine, we were torn. Should we stay, or should we go? We chose to pack up. That night, instead of clinking glasses and watching the ball drop with our dear friends, we were sending “Happy New Year” texts from our respective homes, feeling a bit like we'd just left a party that never started. It’s still one of the most memorable New Years I’ve ever had. Mostly because of what it reminds me about. Life's not just about the perfect moments. It's about the messy, unplanned, “Why is this happening to me?” moments that have the potential to shape us. Several years ago, someone shared a really helpful family mantra: “If it’s funny later, it’s funny now.” I love that. I don't always remember it in the moment, but I want to be able to laugh in times of frustration. I want to have perspective in the hard and disappointing moments in life. That New Year's Eve was a reminder that sometimes, the best memories come from the worst situations. And that, my friends, is the beauty of life. It throws curveballs, and sometimes they hit you right in the
jumped in a car to hunt down some test kits, hoping
face (or the immune system, in our case).
our fears of Covid were unfounded.
So here's to the New Year, to unexpected turns, and
One friend sheepishly retreated to swab their nose
to finding joy in the unplanned and upended parts
and have a moment in private to assess the findings.
of life.
Then, the results.
ERIC RILEY Executive Editor | Lifestyle Magazine CEO | Topograph
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